Tips By and For Millennials

6 Ways Millennials Can Break Stereotypes at Work

My guest, Amanda Suazo (@suazgirl) and I met on Twitter. Proving that business connections do happen on social media.

Before we get to Amanda’s tips, I have found millennials to be frank, which is a benefit, you know where they stand. However, if I could offer a tip, phrase your comment tactfully, avoid blurting. By taking a moment to phrase it, you will come across more professional and in control. Take a look at my presentation just for millennials.

Amanda’s tips:

Nobody wants to work with millennials-the trophy kids born between around 1980 and 2000-because they seem lazy, entitled, and narcissistic. And if you’re one of them (like me), it’s hard to stay positive on the job when older generations won’t take you seriously.

Research debunks millennial stereotypes all the time, giving ways to prove how reliable and hardworking of a generation you are, but it might not be enough to clear a bad reputation with colleagues and bosses (if you’re even lucky enough to get hired, or even to interview – though if that’s a struggle try this website for help: https://cultivatedculture.com/resume-templates/). Try some of these methods to break out of the mold and get the treatment you deserve.

Furthermore, millennials are very intuned with the technology of the world and can be utilized to improve a business by giving them various new and fresh ideas. In addition, even though the stock market has been around for a while they are now more informed on how to buy google stock and many other different types of corporate stocks in a way that could bring in my business funds for the company to thrive and have a higher turnaround in profits.

1. Put down the phone

You’re more connected to the world than most of your colleagues, but they’ll cringe if you text or tweet on the job. Keep your phone in a drawer until break times or lunch hours, and engage more with the work (and the people) in front of you.

2. Pick up the phone

Your desk phone, that is. Since millennials are notorious for relying on email and text, others think we don’t know how to hold a conversation-so if you can’t whittle that email down to a short paragraph, just call the recipient.

3. Don’t pretend to know everything

College grades are not a measure of your job expertise; before others can see you as an authority figure, you need to learn how the company works and build your skillset. The more skills you acquire, the more you will have to put on your cv, and it’s very important to mention skills on your cv. When you make mistakes (and it will happen), take criticism gracefully as well. Don’t confuse critiques with personal attacks-only one is designed to help you work better.

4. Stick it out

Some millennials jump between jobs hoping to advance more rapidly, but managers care about perseverance; try new approaches to boring tasks and see the big picture of what you contribute to the company before quitting. (Plus, job hopping can make your resume look worse to employers.) Sticking out a job that you may not be particularly interested in could help you to earn that extra bit of money for when that time comes when you want to move on. It is not unknown that millennials like to change jobs, as 71% of millennials are either not engaged or actively disengaged at work so for some workplaces, they will see as this norm. But it may be in your best interest to not do this that often, as you may not be able to get any future jobs if this information has been imprinted on your CV.

5. Respect authority

You want to feel valued at work, but boomers and gen X-ers need recognition too. Acknowledge the skills and experience that older coworkers have built over their careers; find mentors in them and reap the knowledge that they can pass on to you.

6. And if all else fails… bite your tongue

Correcting everyone who badmouths millennials will only worsen the situation. Your generation will reach upper management when boomers and gen X-ers retire-so instead of countering accusations with more talk, prove them wrong with your work and forge your path to the head of the conference table.

Millennials will have to work harder to prove their capabilities and break stereotypes, but it’s worth the effort; you’ll build better relationships with older employees and benefit from your differences.

Amanda Suazo is a freelance writer specializing in career advice for college graduates. Find her on Twitter or her up-and-coming site grad-girl.com.

Helping Businesses and Individuals Find Success Through Better Communication and Social Skills

Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, Social Skills and Civility Presenter, Media Source, and author of “Don’t Burp in the Boardroom.”

Presentations are available to support HR policies, sales teams, up and coming managers, millennials & new-hire orientation process, service technicians, professional development events, conferences, college/university students, interns. For more information, please contact me, 650.871.6200.